A Hemp Stitched, Repaired Sakabukuro: Sake Making Filter

mid twentieth century
29 3/4" x 9 1/4", 75.5 cm x 23.5 cm

Sakabukuro, or sake straining bags, are beautiful boro textiles. Made of cotton saturated with green persimmon tannin, or kaki shibu, which gives the distinctive brown color, this utilitarian textile was used in sake making.

Crude sake, or sake lees, was placed in this bag and pressure was applied to squeeze out and filter the liquid. Repeated use required repeated mendings and we see the wonderfully odd stitches applied for this purpose. The finished edge of the bag is hand stitched.

This wonderful bag shows a richly luminous, warm red/brown color from the kaki shibu.  The mending stitches are unusual because of their material and their method: crudely plied hemp threads were used to mend this sake straining bag and the two wide areas of the mending, and their placement on the front of the bag, create a beautiful detail.

A really wonderful sakabukuro, and one of a high quality and attractiveness that is becoming more and more difficult to find.

Recommended.